The Burden of Carrying the World on Her Shoulders (Part 1)

"So, do you also have a name so infuriatingly difficult to pronounce?" Ariel asked once they were out of earshot from the guards stationed at the doors of the Lounge.

"How rude. My name is perfectly pronounceable." Yukino huffed, releasing her silky ebony hair from the hood of her cloak.

"Pray tell?"

"Yukinoshita Yukino." The girl frowned when Ariel couldn't contain her initial laughter.

"That's pronounceable? It's even harder than Brother's!" The noble did as well a job of not laughing as a kid who saw a magic trick for the first time. If a little less adorable looking.

"Only if you're completely ignorant of Japanese." Yukino's indignity-filled voice made Ariel chuckle. But the black haired girl didn't share the sentiment "And even then."

"Oh, but I digress. How can you even say it? Surely, you're not telling me you practiced your Japanese with someone?" Ariel lowered her voice as people walked past them. She looked like a conspirator, with a smug smile as she revealed how much she knows.

Which seems to be a lot.

"There are people who knows Japanese in this world." Hayama, for example "But no. I haven't. But it'd be simply ridiculous to use that as an excuse to let my Japanese rust." Besides, the words helped soothe her nerves when she used to lay on her bed. Not crying, but certainly suffering.

"Reasonable." Ariel commented as she looked for a place to sit down "Brother taught me a bit, by the way. It'd be a good exercise for me, if you'd like to have someone to converse with."

"If I get time." Yukino felt her mouth twist upwards "Ah, there is Mister John over there. We can sit with him."

"An acquaintance of yours?" The question sounded more like a 'wow, you have friends?' and it made Yukino question what Hayama told the girl about her.

Questions for another time.

"Closer, I'd say." Not quite a friend, but at least an associate of sorts. He's conspired with her to move projects forwards after all "Not quite the gentleman, but he's certainly not a brute."

"I know the kind." The blonde's smile must have been because of a fond memory "Shall I leave it to you? I'll order something."

"You don't have a maid?" Hayama didn't bring a subordinate. But Ariel didn't strike Yukino as the kind to do something like that. She didn't look particularly fit either. Her constitution didn't come from exercise, but was natural instead.

"Not presently. One will be provided to me, though." Ariel's expression changed again, now something unpleasant must be in her mind "Mother needs assistance more than I do, after all."

Ah…

"Reasonable." Yukino left it at that. She clearly didn't want to talk about the subject "I might be able to procure more, if you'd like."

"Eh?" That took the blonde by surprised "From where?"

"My house, of course." Since the girl stopped walking, Yukino decided to take the initiative "I've contracted a lot of people. Some of which could use better jobs. I can recommend you a couple, if you'd like."

"You have people to spare?"

There is never too much people working. Less so now that her projects are fighting to get going once more. Yukino needs as many people as she can get a hold of. But…

"I can spare a few." In the end, they're employees. Not servants. They have the right to choose to work under better circumstances. Unlike the…

The…

Unlike the slaves.

"I wouldn't want to impose." Ariel quickly told her. No good, she must have seen something in her face "Really, it's of no consequence."

"No, it's not that." Yukino shook her head "Don't mind me. Go, I'll be waiting with John."

"…" Ariel stared her in the eyes. Long seconds went by without any of them moving, until the blonde sighed "If you say so."

Yukino gathered her feelings and pressed onwards to the table. The boy didn't look too pleased.

"Ah, Miss Maria. I mean, Viscountess Maria. What a surprise." His attempt at humor fell short. His shoulders were down and he looked quite troubled. Yukino could relate.

"What's wrong? Ah, something happened. What is it?" She did her best not to come up too harsh, but she wasn't in her game mindset.

"Things are getting worse by the day." John's frown grew. Yukino could see the expression lines that would stay in his face when he becomes older "There's a lot of unrest in the city. Just a couple of days ago, the marketplace was raided."

"No way." That couldn't be true. That place is patrolled all day by the city knights and even the royal order. There's no way the market of the capital of the whole country was raided.

"But it was." John sighed "First, a demon appears. Now it's getting raided? Give me a break."

Those were news to Yukino.

"A demon appeared in the market place?" She couldn't be more incredulous if she tried. John looked at her like she was the one talking nonsense.

"Yes, didn't you hear?" When the girl failed to retort, he sighed "A demon appeared in the middle of the marketplace. Soon after we got our vacations. It mutilated a knight and injured a lot of people. The knight reported, and I quote, a "monstrous creature shrouded in cloth, hatred and steam". I think he died? Not sure, but people are going crazy over the tale." Of course. An appearance this public would cause an impact. It doesn't help that the scandal regarding the monsters in the forest not even a day away from the capital became public not even a year before "Many of my classmates almost didn't make it back to the Academy. Their parents didn't want them to be out of their sight with a demon out there. Some almost begged to be allowed inside during vacations, because prince Arnold is here, and must be the closest to a safe haven outside the castle."

"I can understand magic beasts, but to go as far as to call it a demon?" Sure. The bear creature did look like a demon, but that's not the moniker Yukino would have chosen for it. Aberration, or maybe hell spawn maybe. But demon?

"It kidnapped a child, just like in the fairy tales." Said fairy tales, are nothing but stories the parents of this world use to make their children behave. Yukino remembered similar tricks being employed back in the real world "Magic beasts can't make explosions, and there are a finite group that have tentacles on them."

Gross. She knows what he's talking about.

"I have a bad premonition about this." That sounded way too specific. Normally coincidences only go so far and people fill in the blanks themselves. But John clearly thought this case couldn't possibly be one of them. What is Yukino missing? "It didn't just kidnap one, right?"

"It's not about how many." The boy looked away "It's about purpose. It clearly wanted the child, and once it obtained it, the creature just fled. Some say it can fly, others say otherwise. But the rumors are too uniform. It doesn't strike me as something someone would do to discredit the business going on there." Right, there'd be no merit Yukino can think of. It'd affect everyone equally "And the government is not helping. Instead of trying to dissipate the rumors, security increased. You should take a look at the slums. I'm told there's a war going on there."

"War is too strong a word." Yukino didn't want to think about it too deeply. It carried connotations she didn't want to acknowledge.

"Well, there's clearly something big going on there. People are being driven out of there by the dozens. People on the ground say that they're fleeing our dear not-demon."

That didn't make sense. There are no children on the…

Oh… Oh my god…

"I'm not feeling too well." Before she could protest, John jumped off his chair and rushed to her side.

"I can see that, Miss Maria." The boy barked while pulling the chair to have room to snake his arms below her and rise her "We're going to see the doctor."

"What's going on?!" Yukino recognized Ariel dropping her food to run to her side. John almost didn't notice her before he began walking briskly.

"I don't know! She suddenly got pale and fainted!" The boy didn't stop to face the noble, and instead half-ran, half-walked out of the cafeteria.

Every step made Yukino feel like her stomach would explode in acidic… In acids.

Not good, she has to…

"Hold still, Maria!" John groaned as the girl wormed her way out of his embrace. She rolled and made John trip. Falling on her hands and knees and having the boy's weight forced on her to slam her face on the ground. The groans that followed informed everyone only their egos got hurt "What the hell is your problem?" John half whispered and half whined while rolling over and clearing Yukino of his weight.

"You don't even know… Half of it…" Yukino wheezed, slowly standing up with the help of the hall's wall. At least the seizure made her forget her previous panic attack.

When she couldn't hold her weight properly, the raven haired girl chose to sit down and rest her back on the wall instead. Ariel stared silently at her.

"What was that about?" Good question. Did the blonde beauty always say the right thing?

"Oh, don't worry. It's nothing to be concerned about." Yukino said, clearly looking like someone you'd worry about after a single glance "I just need to make a trip to the slums."

Ariel blinked "Why?"

"Because there's still work to do." Yukino's mind was on the prostitution center. It made her so sick she could have ripped the walls off with her magic and she'd still not feel any better "My responsibilities don't end with teaching and managing. There are things that must be done personally."

"But looking like that?" The blonde noble looked like she wanted to see through Yukino, vitals and all. That sort of scrutiny felt way too professional for a girl her age "I think not."

"But I must…"

"I think not." Ariel repeated, more firmly "You're clearly indisposed, and if Maria is not taking care of her health then someone must do it in her place." The girl crossed her arms, scoffing "You're going to go rest and I will call the nurses. Am I clear?"

"But─"

"Am I clear?" Now Yukino frowned.

"That's not your place to decide."

"Ladies…" John clearly wanted to be anywhere but in front of them. His previous pain forgotten, his legs were more than ready to sprint out of that place when the air began behaving funny.

"Oh? Maria says such mysterious things. As far as I am aware, I kind of have the authority to decide." Ariel fixed her hair. Almost as a reminder of her pedigree. Yukino would not have any of that "And, since you're so stubborn as to insist risk your healthy like that. I must pound some sense into that thick head of yours." Ariel kneeled, cradling Yukino's face so she would not move when the blonde got close enough for her breath to grace Yukino's ear "Or shall I take this to his highness? Maybe Yukinoshita-san would rather deal with someone more befitting to give orders?"

"You wouldn't." Her tone betrayed her. Horrified didn't come close to describe the way her heart wanted to burst from her chest from fear.

"I wouldn't." The noble agreed, taking some distance to get face to face with the raven haired girl. She didn't let go of her cheeks "It's just not believable. But something tells me if it's Maria, his highness will find a way to twist it into something reasonable. I wouldn't want to explain how I know either." Ariel finally let go, getting her distance but with a hand caressing Yukino's head "Maria's hair is so beautiful… I've never seen hair so dark. Must be why you're so good at magic, right?" The implications of Yukino being special were conveyed clearly. The reincarnator didn't feel like arguing against Ariel's point.

She could just take deep breaths. Everything felt unreal. She knew her light-headed self couldn't think properly. But she still felt unreasonably irritated with the blonde that got the upper hand in the argument.

"Are you feeling better?" Ariel's question brought attention to the fact. The scare did help clear her mind, even if it left her confused and angry.

"Yes."

"So, are you going to tell me what happened?" Ariel stood up, crossing her hands again. It didn't bother Yukino that she was looking down on her.

"I have to go to the slums. I have projects there, and I must see the people stationed there. John brought something to my attention."

"The demon attack." The boy provided while being watchful of both.

"Ah." What? Ariel knew? Now, that's not fair. Yukino's directly involved, why didn't she know?

"So, we're going to the slums." Eh? What is Ariel talking about?

"I must…"

"We're going, you mean." The noble's smile looked so forced it turned menacing. Yuigahama had never pressured Yukino this hard.

"By all means, do as you please." Yukino didn't feel in condition to argue "John has a couple of business around the area. He'll lead the way, right?"

"Do I have a choice?" The boy cringed "Someone gotta look out for the ladies, right?"

"That'd be appreciated." Ariel interrupted "Ariel Woodville."

"Ah. Lady Woodville, it's a pleasure." The boy scratched the back of his head "The name's John. I'd have hoped we met under less distressing circumstances."

"Just John?" Ariel didn't look like she believes him.

"Son of peasants. Barely learned to read." He shrugged "Just John."

"And you say you have businesses?" Something fishy was going on, and Ariel knew it. Yukino never discussed their past, so she felt like something didn't make sense as well.

"Hey. Got employed in a shop. Learned everything there's to the trade on the fly." He puffed his chest "Quite the accomplishment, if I say so myself."

"Please…" Yukino scoffed.

"That is the case." Ariel sounded like she simply wanted him to shut up.

"Fine. Look down on me." The boy shook his head, apparently mocking the girls "Let's see how long you last without my guidance through the lower belt of society."

"You do remember I grew up a commoner, yes?" Yukino's deadpan heralded the improvement of her condition.

"Of course!" John's bombastic response was as exaggerated as it was mocking "How could I forget, Miss daughter-of-a-war-veteran I-make-money-for-days-with-no-prior-training-of-trade and magician of the element of I-can-pull-any-trick-from-my-ass, my lady Viscountess? Truly, you're one more face among the common folk."